New Technologies For Safer Freight Transport

The freight transport industry contributes over £127 billion to the UK economy every year. Ensuring the safe and timely delivery of goods is a colossal task undertaken by various industries, which involves the use of trucks, trains, planes, and ships navigating through roads, rails, skies, and seas. This article explores how using new technologies for safer freight transport can pave the way for a better future in the industry.

Historically, freight transport has had its share of safety issues from driver fatigue and distracted driving to improper load securement and more. But new technologies for safer freight are emerging that promise to make it safer than it has ever been before.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the most impactful new safety technologies hitting the freight transport scene, including:

– Collision avoidance and automatic emergency braking systems

– Driver fatigue and distraction monitoring

– Cargo tracking and monitoring

– Advanced weather monitoring and routing

– Self-driving trucks

These new freight transport safety technologies leverage massive advances in sensors, cameras, connectivity, automation, AI, and more. Companies that implement them stand to benefit from improved safety, reduced costs from accidents and delays, improved efficiency, and more.

Let’s take a closer look at how these new safety technologies are moving the needle for freight transport.

Collision Avoidance Systems Prevent Accidents

One of the biggest safety challenges in freight transport involves avoiding collisions, rollovers, and accidents.

New collision avoidance systems leverage cameras, radar, and sensors to detect potential crash risks early. Advanced systems can detect cars, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other obstacles near a truck or bus. Some systems even identify lane departures or intersections and can detect if a vehicle ahead comes to a sudden stop.

Once a potential collision risk is detected, these systems provide the driver with audible and visual alerts. If the driver fails to take action, some systems can automatically apply the brakes to prevent an accident. 

Major truck and bus manufacturers now offer integrated collision avoidance and automatic emergency braking systems. Mandates in the European Union will soon require these systems on all new heavy trucks.

As technology advances, collision avoidance promises to mitigate one of the biggest safety risks in the freight industry and save lives.

Driver Monitoring Systems Combat Fatigue And Distraction

Another major safety risk for freight hauls involves driver fatigue and distraction. The huge distances and long hours associated with freight shipping take their toll. Drowsy or distracted drivers are more likely to cause accidents. 

New driver safety monitoring systems combat this risk. These in-cab systems use infrared cameras and sensors to monitor driver attention actively. Advanced computer algorithms can detect if drivers take their eyes off the road, start drifting lanes, blink excessively, yawn, or exhibit other signs of distraction or fatigue.

The monitoring systems provide real-time alerts to grab drivers’ attention if they demonstrate unsafe behaviours. They can also provide proactive alerts to encourage the driver to take a break after extended periods behind the wheel without adequate rest.

Major manufacturers have performed extensive testing to fine-tune these driver monitoring algorithms before integrating this tech into commercial trucks.

Freight operators implementing distracted driver monitoring report dramatic reductions in collision rates and safer transport overall. This includes companies like Cargo Transporters, who saw preventable accidents decrease by 75% after deploying driver monitoring tech. Systems like driver-alert-support aim to eliminate fatigue-related crashes.

Cargo Monitoring And New Technologies For Safer Freight Transport

Loss or damage to freight poses a significant financial burden on the UK logistics industry. Addressing theft concerns, cargo theft claims within the UK reach substantial figures. Improper loading, handling, or exposure to environmental factors further exacerbate the risks associated with freight transportation.

The introduction of new wireless IoT cargo sensors and GPS tracking solutions revolutionises the industry by offering real-time visibility into freight conditions throughout its journey. This comprehensive monitoring includes tracking location, light and temperature exposure, humidity, shock, vibration, and more.

Leading companies produce sensors that provide updated data every few minutes. This enables drivers to promptly address issues if parameters related to temperature, handling, security, or other factors surpass predefined limits. Instant identification of problems, such as refrigerator unit failure or cargo theft, ensures swift corrective actions.

The near-real-time freight monitoring not only mitigates product loss and damage but also establishes a documented chain of custody and adherence to requirements, which is particularly crucial for regulated goods like pharmaceuticals. Ultimately, these advanced sensors play a pivotal role in guaranteeing that freight reaches its destination intact, on schedule, and ready for use in the UK market.

Advanced Weather Tech Reroutes Transport Safely 

Transport companies lose millions from freight delays whenever severe storms, flooding, dense fog, high winds, or other weather affect critical transport routes. In some cases, trucks and drivers are even harmed if hazardous conditions emerge mid-route.

New predictive analytics platforms leverage AI, satellite imaging, sensors, and transport data to model how weather events will impact transport routes days or even weeks in advance. This allows freight companies to proactively re-route transports away from danger while minimising miles added or delivery delays.  

For example, some companies provide a weather monitoring service that overlays potential severe weather onto planned transport routes. This allows dispatchers to keep transports safe by picking alternative routes or pausing trips to avoid danger zones.

As weather analytics continues to mature, freight transporters can better prepare for events and ensure continuous safe passage of goods to their destinations, even when markets experience volatile or unexpected weather conditions.

Autonomous Trucks Bring Predictability To Freight

Self-driving trucks stand at the forefront of discussions around the future of freight transportation safety and efficiency. Autonomous new technologies for safer freight are advancing rapidly. Major manufacturers predict these robotic trucks will be road-ready by 2030.

Outfitting trucks with self-driving tech powered by cameras, radar, lidar mapping, connectivity to other vehicles, and AI promises huge safety benefits. These systems have much faster reaction times than humans. 360-degree sensors constantly monitor for possible collisions and can slam the brakes automatically if needed.

And unlike human drivers, automated systems stay attentive to the road without distraction or fatigue. They maintain a steady speed, optimal following distance, and centred lane position at all times. This consistency and predictability means that surrounding vehicles can anticipate and accommodate trucks on the road.  

Plus, autonomous systems allow for truck platooning – linking self-driving trucks together in a small convoy via electronic coupling. This lets them accelerate and brake in sync. Platooning reduces risks from sudden stops, keeps optimal distance, and results in up to 7% fuel savings according to truck manufacturers.

Major transport companies are already putting autonomous trucks through extensive testing. Startups are advancing the tech while logistics giants are working closely with them to eventually integrate self-driving vehicles into their fleets. 

Widespread adoption of autonomous trucks may still be nearly a decade away due to regulatory hurdles. But once on the road, they promise to mitigate many human-error-related truck accidents. This will lead to better road safety and visibility into arrival times for all commercial transports.

Integrating Safety Tech Is Critical For Freight Leaders

The rapid emergence of new technologies for safer freight promises to address many of the most pressing risks impacting delivery – from weather delays to collisions and cargo theft. 

However integrating these new technologies for safer freight transport successfully requires buy-in and investment from freight leaders at major truck, logistics, and transport companies. Transitioning from legacy processes to new tech adoption always poses challenges even when positive ROI looks guaranteed on paper.

Here are the best practices freight executives can employ to drive the successful adoption of advanced new technologies for safer freight across their organisations:

Get Early Internal Buy-In – Involve dispatch managers, supervisors, drivers and other internal stakeholders early in tech selection. Address concerns transparently while highlighting benefits.

Start Small Then Scale – Pilot new tech with a limited number of vehicles or drivers first. Use measured results and feedback to refine processes before broad roll-outs.

Communicate Impact Clearly – Share safety improvements, accident reductions and other metrics with all staff routinely so they see firsthand benefits.

Incentivise Usage – Offer rewards or bonuses for drivers and dispatch teams who utilise new tech most effectively to improve performance. 

Continually Optimise – Leverage fleet telematics, analytics, dash cams, and feedback channels to fine-tune new tech implementations and highlight ongoing value.

While integrating new platforms always requires adaptations, freight transport companies in the UK stand to gain enormously by deploying the latest safety-focused technologies. Early adopters can gain sharp improvements in driver safety, cargo security and insured values – not to mention major PR wins by positioning as innovation leaders.

Those clinging to old ways risk falling behind as the latest advanced sensors, cloud platforms, AI capabilities and automated driving rapidly become standard across commercial transport globally in the years ahead. Integrating new technologies for safer freight is worth embracing.